U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,245 describes an electrical connector assembly comprising first and second connector housings and a camming slide comprising an open rectangular frame which surrounds the housings. The camming slide is slidably mounted on one of the housings for movement in a direction which extends perpendicularly with respect to the path of movement of the housings towards each other when they are mated and unmated. The camming slide also has cam tracks which receive cam followers on the second housing. The two housings can be mated with each other by positioning the cam followers on the second housing in the cam tracks of the camming slide and then moving the camming slide relative to the housings so that the cam tracks cause the second housing to move into mated relationship with the first housing.
The connector assembly shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,245 cannot be used under certain circumstances because of the fact that the camming slide extends laterally beyond the connector housings and is moved when the connector housings are coupled or uncoupled between two extreme positions. It follows that clearance must be provided for the movement of this slide in any connector assembly in which this type of coupling slide is used, and there are circumstances where there is not sufficient clearance to permit movement of the slide.
It would also be desirable to provide a connector assembly having a camming system for mating and unmating the connector parts of more simple construction than the system shown in the above-identified U.S. patent, and which could be produced at a cost which is not significantly greater than the cost of the connector assembly without the camming slide.
The present invention is directed to the achievement of a connector assembly having a camming slide which requires a minimum amount of space for the slide and which does not extend beyond the ends of the connector assembly. The invention is further directed to the achievement of a connector assembly having a camming system which can be manufactured at a cost only slightly greater than the cost of an assembly without a camming slide.